Bastian
Frankfurt
Analyst Class of 2004
Master of Science, Managerial Accounting and Entrepreneurship
Leipzig Graduate School of Management, 2004
I graduated from Leipzig Graduate School of Management (HHL) in 2004 majoring in Managerial Accounting and Entrepreneurship. I also studied at Northwestern University (NWU) in Evanston, IL (USA) and spent a semester at Escuela de Alta Dirección y Administración (EADA) in Barcelona (Spain). Prior to joining Greenhill, I had gained work experience in different areas of finance and strategic consulting.
The reasons why I chose Greenhill as the starting point of my professional career are straightforward. On the one hand, I was intrigued by corporate finance and particularly M&A as it perfectly combines the fields of strategic and financial analysis. On the other hand, after interviewing with the complete Frankfurt team, I had the feeling that I met people who were entrepreneurial, bright and talented, and who would provide me with the extensive learning experience I was looking for. Most importantly, however, we connected well on a personal level giving me the impression of Greenhill as a friendly and dynamic firm.
My life as analyst at Greenhill started with a training program in our New York office in July 2004. Aside from getting to know my fellow first-year analysts from London and New York as well as meeting many of Greenhill’s senior bankers I had the opportunity to deepen my understanding in company analysis and valuation techniques. After the training session I felt I was well prepared for my analyst role based on the technical skills I had acquired and the network I had built.
Returning to Frankfurt, I was immediately staffed on a live project and my first assignment was to participate in a comprehensive valuation analysis for a large German, DAX 30 company. I also participated in several client meetings, experiencing senior client contact within the first few months. Further projects included work on a fairness opinion and preparing a chemicals company for a sale process.
The entrepreneurial culture of our firm encourages high levels of responsibility right from the start and has allowed me to experience a steep learning curve. Together with a fun and supportive work environment, Greenhill has been the right choice to start a career in investment banking.
Pawel
Frankfurt
Analyst Class of 2005
Master of Science, Finance and Strategy, Leipzig Graduate School of
Management, 2005
I grew up in Poland and moved to Germany to complete my high school education. Subsequently, I studied in Germany and graduated from the Leipzig Graduate School of Management (HHL) in 2005, majoring in Finance and Strategy. During my studies, I spent longer periods of time in the United Kingdom and in the United States and interned with a multinational software company, a consulting firm and with the M&A department of a large investment bank.
When considering different career options, I decided to seek an international, fast paced and project driven professional services environment that would require analytical as well as strategic problem solving skills and offer a steep learning curve. Based on my internship experiences, I chose to pursue a career in investment banking. Most importantly, however, I wanted to work with a team with a strong culture and track record, since I believed that the team one works with is what makes the difference.
I first heard of Greenhill while in the United States, at the time when Greenhill went public. I was impressed by Greenhill’s success story and very much liked the concept.
When I came back to Germany, I applied for an analyst position with Greenhill’s Frankfurt office. Meeting every single member of Greenhill’s Frankfurt team convinced me that these were the people I wanted to work with and to learn from. Accordingly, I was very happy when I received an employment offer.
My time at Greenhill started with a three week analyst training program in New York which not only provided me with the necessary tools and skills for the analyst life, but also gave me the opportunity to get to know bankers from all of Greenhill’s offices. Immediately after the training ended I was involved in the sale of a chemicals business. Since then, I have worked on a number of highly interesting and very different projects in a range of industries, including the development of a defence strategy for a large multinational company and one of the largest public takeovers in recent years. All in all, my time at Greenhill has been an unparalleled learning experience and I have received a great deal of exposure to senior bankers and clients and was able to assume high levels of responsibility. All of my expectations have been met and to a large part exceeded. Joining Greenhill has worked out very well for me.
Friedrich
Frankfurt
Analyst Class of 2005
Master of Science in Economics, London School of Economics 2005
Bachelor of Arts, Columbia University 2004
Born and raised in Germany, I completed the final two years of my high school education in the US. I then went on to Columbia University in New York where I received a B.A. in 2004. During my time at Columbia I also spent a semester abroad as exchange student in Paris. Subsequently I decided to return to Europe to study for a Master of Science in Economics at the London School of Economics (LSE).
After completing my studies at the LSE I was looking for a job that would cater to my strong interest in corporate finance as well as to my international background. So far I had only gained limited professional experience as I spent most of the summers with competitive rowing at the international level. Nevertheless I had the opportunity to gain my first M&A experience during an internship at one of Germany’s largest companies where I was staffed on a team that executed the divestiture of a regional utility company in the Ruhr Valley. A global M&A advisory firm was, therefore, the natural choice to start my professional life.
Having met all members of the Frankfurt team during my interviews, I was sure that Greenhill would offer a unique culture and working environment that stresses the importance of every individual. Additionally, the young history of Greenhill and the small size of its Frankfurt office gave me the feeling of a global M&A advisory firm with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, which would allow me to have a role in the firm’s
future development.
Looking back, Greenhill more than fulfilled my expectations with its strong growth and continuous success. Since I have joined the firm, the Frankfurt team has almost doubled in size and completed a series of milestone transactions.
The opportunity to work as a generalist in the M&A industry is another aspect that I value at Greenhill. In the last fifteen months I have worked on projects in various industries including financial services, automotive, retail and beverages. The considerable experience of the senior team members has ensured a steep learning curve. The latter combined with the friendliness and the quality of the entire Greenhill team are the cornerstone of my excellent start in M&A.
Hazel
London
Analyst Class of 2004
Bachelor of Arts, Mathematical Sciences
Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford, 2002
My father has always run his own business and we often discussed the challenges he faced day to day. As I grew up, I knew that working in business and finance and being entrepreneurial would be my career choice. I graduated from Oxford University in 2002, with a degree in Maths knowing that I wanted to become a banker. I took a year out after Oxford in order to play netball in Australia. This was an amazing experience, everyone had a tremendous appetite for training hard, high-level competition, but ultimately playing together as an effective team.
On returning from Australia, I had to choose which bank I wanted to work for, and, perhaps more importantly, persuading one that they wanted to hire me. I liked the idea that Greenhill had an entrepreneurial spirit, was a young company with lots of potential for growth. I liked Greenhill’s passion for excellence, as well as its distinct
philosophy towards being a close strategic adviser to its clients. I was impressed by what it had achieved in a short space of time – by the deals it had done with some of
the most famous companies in the world. And I was impressed by the quality of the
people that worked at Greenhill.
My time so far with Greenhill has been very exciting. I went to New York for two weeks’ basic training, where we were introduced to important Corporate Finance techniques. However the most important aspect of the training was meeting many of the other members of the firm. As a small organisation, knowledge has to be shared freely between all individuals and offices, meeting all the other new analysts and several other members of the New York office, means that this will continue at all levels. Upon my return, I was staffed on a deal to assist a client company considering takeover offers from a number of the world’s most famous private equity houses. The story quickly reached the front pages of the business press and the whole process has been extremely exciting. This deal has proved to me that Greenhill does give early responsibility and unrivalled exposure to first year analysts. The learning curve is steep, but working in teams with other Greenhill bankers ensures work is enjoyable and that you are never out of your depth.
Christopher
London
Analyst class of 2005
Bachelor of Science, Mathematics
University of St Andrews, 2005
I was born and raised in Northern Ireland, and ever since I was a teenager I have wanted to work in Corporate Finance (although I didn’t really know what that meant
at the beginning!). During my last year of school I applied for, and was hired into, the Arthur Andersen Scholar Scheme – a 9-month placement in one of their regional
offices for select students about to enter University. I was excited to be given the opportunity early on in life to live and work in London. In September 2000 I moved to London to work for Andersen in their Corporate Restructuring practice. This was a great learning experience for me and allowed me a large amount of responsibility from the very beginning.
After I finished my placement at Andersen, I travelled for 3 months visiting Indonesia, Australia and the United States before starting at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. While at St Andrews I became heavily involved in a new but growing society called the GIG. The Global Investment Group is a society that aims to bridge the gap between education and finance. Through the friends and contacts I made in this group, I began to develop a greater knowledge of finance and the markets. This would prove priceless when it came time to interview for internships.
During my penultimate summer at university, I worked for Deutsche Bank in their Financial Institutions M&A Group. This was a great learning experience and gave me a good insight into the workings of a bulge bracket firm. During my last year at university I thought about which other firms I should be considering for my full time employment, (and indeed which ones may consider me), when I was approached by someone representing Greenhill. After some research and discussions with friends I found that Greenhill seemed to be a firm where I would fit in well, with a strong team culture and boutique environment.
Since joining the firm, I have had the opportunity to learn a great deal in a short space of time. The transactions I’ve completed have all come from different sectors, allowing me to work not only in one area, but across many industries. The work is by no means easy but the support and assistance I received from the strong team around me allowed me to grow, learn and perform.
I believe I made the right choice joining Greenhill – I cannot imagine working in
M&A with any other firm.
Ravi
London
Analyst Class of 2006
Bachelor of Arts, Economics with Management Studies
Christ’s College, University of Cambridge, 2006
I had always wanted to end up in a job that was challenging and would allow me to develop new skills while working in a business environment, but when I joined university I had no idea what profession I would end up joining. However, at the beginning of my second year at university, I attended several careers fairs and became more interested in banking. I decided that an internship would be an excellent way to gain practical experience, and the following summer I took internships at both a bulge-bracket investment bank and at Greenhill.
I had an excellent time as an intern at Greenhill. I worked on several deals for FTSE 100 companies and, thanks to the relatively small size of the company, I had the opportunity to work directly with Directors and Partners. Unlike my experience of bulge-bracket banks, I found that even the most junior analysts at Greenhill were experiencing a wealth of client contact, and that Greenhill’s generalist approach
meant that they were knowledgeable about a wide range of industries and sectors. Perhaps most surprising of all was the office culture. Not only was everyone friendly and very approachable, but the lack of bureaucracy and “face time” meant that
everyone enjoyed a high-quality work-life balance. I was thrilled to be offered a full-time analyst position following my internship, and accepted it without hesitation. After graduation, I flew to Greenhill’s New York headquarters, joined by the other
analysts in my class. We were joined by graduates starting at the New York, Toronto and Frankfurt offices for three weeks of training. The training was superb, and was accompanied by many casual events and plenty of time to explore the city. Back in London, this learning experience has continued, with regular in-house training sessions and courses at the London Business School. As a result, the job has allowed me to continually learn new skill and apply these skills to a variety of projects. Greenhill has given me the opportunity to experience unrivalled exposure to investment banking in a talented and challenging environment, and I look forward to my future in the company.
Alex
London
Analyst Class of 2006
Master of Science, Finance
Tanaka Business School, Imperial College London, 2006
I graduated from St Andrews University in 2005 with a degree in Arabic and Economics. I had always wanted to keep my career options open, although I did know that I wanted to work with motivated and capable people, doing something which I found both challenging and interesting. During my final year at St Andrews I went to a number of presentations by investment banks; together with speaking to friends who had done summer internships I felt banking would be an industry in which I would be well suited to work.
I wanted to further my education after leaving St Andrews doing something that would both challenge me academically and strengthen my CV. I accepted a place to do a one year Masters in Finance at the Tanaka Business School, Imperial College London and decided early on in the course to focus my employment efforts towards corporate finance.
I applied to almost all the bulge-bracket firms and I hadn’t seriously considered
Greenhill until a friend suggested sending in my CV. When I went along to the interview day I was immediately impressed by people I met; from the first year analysts to the managing directors everyone seemed to be both talented and dedicated from a professional perspective, but also friendly and hospitable. In addition to thinking of Greenhill as a place where I would fit in, I found the idea of working in a small firm where you could get to know everyone, be exposed to a wide range of deals and cover a variety of sectors very appealing.
I’ve really enjoyed my time since starting work at Greenhill. The learning curve is a steep one and at times the job can be very demanding, although I’m amazed at the amount of responsibility I’ve been given – right from the start I felt as though I was
making an important contribution and that the quality of my work made a difference in the impression we give to clients. The people here are what really makes the firm and everyone has been incredibly patient in taking the time to explain things to me. There’s also a great atmosphere here, we often socialise together and there’s a strong emphasis on leading a good work-life balance. Anyone serious about wanting to work in corporate finance should consider applying to Greenhill – I cannot imagine
wanting to work anywhere else.
Alex
New York
Analyst Class of 2006
BA, Political Science, Yale University, 2006
When it came time to decide my first job out of college, I knew two things -- I wanted to choose a job where I could learn as much as possible and I wanted it to be finance-oriented. As a liberal arts major, finance was a relatively new word in my
vocabulary. Except for a few economics classes and an occasional glance through the Wall Street Journal, my understanding of finance and business was very limited. During my junior year, I stumbled upon an internship at an M&A boutique investment bank. While this was not your typical Wall Street investment banking experience, it allowed me the opportunity to find out that I wanted my first job to be in Investment Banking.
I didn’t come from a summer internship at a Wall Street bank so when interviewing season came, I applied to just about every investment banking job that was on our career services website. I was fortunate enough to get several offers from bulge bracket firms and one from Greenhill. While I knew little about Greenhill before the interview process, once I had my first interview and began investigating the company, it took over as my favorite. This was partly driven by the great people I met, but more importantly it was the opportunity it afforded me. The opportunity to gain an invaluable skill set seemed second to none. I could work on transactions across all industries with some of the most experienced Managing Directors on Wall Street. This preliminary view of the Greenhill experience has proved more than true. Learning the finance aspect of the job is fairly similar at all banks. We all do the same type of models and work on similar transactions. But at Greenhill, you are forced from day one to go beyond the typical “Analyst role.” Since deal teams are
small, an analyst at Greenhill isn’t here just to process and hand his or her work off to the next senior banker. Managing Directors have no problem giving you a call on the spot asking for analysis, research or even your opinion on something. At first this can be daunting, but it makes you catch up the learning curve very quickly. It is not just the quantitative learning curve but the qualitative one as well. At Greenhill, analysts are expected to have an opinion and to add value to their deal teams. In the end of the day, this is how you learn.
Since I have joined Greenhill, I have been fortunate enough to work on a large buyside in the steel industry, a sell-side for an internet company as well as several other highly rewarding engagements. Greenhill has been the perfect first job and has surpassed all of my expectations.
Zach
New York
Analyst Class of 2005
Bachelor of Business Administration - Finance & Accounting concentrations McCombs School of Business, The University of Texas at Austin, 2005
Like many of my peers in college, I was attracted to the investment banking industry as a platform to build my business career. After completing a summer analyst stint at a large bulge bracket bank, I decided to focus almost exclusively on boutique investment banking opportunities for full-time employment. Greenhill was the top company on my list due to the Firm’s reputation as a top tier advisory boutique with
an impressive client roster. I found from my research that Greenhill regularly competes and wins headline mandates while being much smaller than most competing banks.
I was happy to accept an offer to join the 2005 Analyst class during my senior year at The University of Texas. Greenhill has exceeded all of my expectations. The quality of assignments that I have been involved with, coupled with my exposure to clients and senior bankers is unparalleled on Wall Street from what I have witnessed. Starting my career as a generalist across M&A and Restructuring has also been very valuable. During my first year of work at Greenhill, I worked on an auto parts restructuring, a retail buyside, an education services sell-side, a stock exchange buyside, a real estate management buyout and countless other mandates across a diverse set of industries. Seeing so many different industries is a great challenge and has allowed me to evaluate and analyze companies that I would not see if I was relegated to a single industry group.
The skills that I have developed along with the friendships that I have made have been invaluable during these formative years of my career. After all, the key to success at any services business is the quality of the people. The people at Greenhill are very intelligent and are genuinely good people, making the analyst experience that much more rewarding.
Gayle
New York
Analyst Class of 2006
BS, Economics, Finance & Accounting concentrations, The Wharton School
BA, International Studies and German Studies
Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business, University of Pennsylvania, 2006
When I began my college career, I had never heard of investment banking and certainly didn’t have the specific goal of entering an analyst program. However, as I
learned more about the options I would have with a business degree, banking emerged as a very attractive opportunity to learn about finance while working in a challenging environment. During my sophomore year in college, I studied abroad in Frankfurt, Germany, where I also completed an internship at a German investment bank. The following year, I interviewed with several banks for summer internships in the United States. I was attracted to Greenhill’s entrepreneurial environment and the chances it
afforded someone right out of college to work directly with clients, who are often senior executives at international corporations. The people at Greenhill were intelligent and supportive and the atmosphere felt much less hierarchical than the bulge bracket institutions I visited. I also respected the firm’s exceptional track
record in M&A, restructuring and private equity, as well as its global reach, including the opportunity to interact with professionals in Greenhill’s office in Frankfurt.
I had an outstanding experience as a summer analyst at Greenhill. I was staffed on deals in many different industries, including a multibillion dollar M&A buy-side engagement with the Whirlpool Corporation, which was announced during my internship and was published on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. I even spent a considerable amount of time at the client’s headquarters, interacting with its
management team. As I spoke to my friends who were working in similar positions at larger banks, I appreciated Greenhill’s collegial environment and generalist approach even more because it exposes analysts to all types of M&A and restructuring transactions. At the end of my internship, I was pleased to accept the offer to return to the firm as a full-time analyst after graduation.
After three weeks of training with the firm’s new analyst class from the New York, London, Toronto and Frankfurt offices, I was again staffed on several large projects with small deal teams and given significant responsibility. There are different challenges every day which require both my quantitative and qualitative skill sets. The learning curve is steep and the variety of simultaneous projects ensures that each day is unique and exciting.
Brian
Toronto
Analyst Class of 2006
Bachelor of Arts - Honours in Business Administration, with Distinction Ivey School of Business, University of Western Ontario
I graduated from Ivey in April 2006 with a degree in Business Administration and a concentration in Finance. I began my investment banking career at Beaufort Partners, a Canadian M&A boutique. Shortly thereafter, our firm was acquired by Greenhill. My experience at Greenhill so far has exceeded my expectations. From day one, I have been given a significant level of responsibility and have had extensive interaction with senior professionals. I gained exposure to a variety of transactions, including the sale of the directories business of a large Canadian telecom company. The generalist opportunity offered by Greenhill provides a unique chance to learn about new industries and transactions while working in a collegial environment. As an analyst, I have learned to think quickly and creatively when solving problems. The training program was a great opportunity to meet with colleagues from all over the world, and has since served as the most valuable resource. The people at Greenhill are an important and crucial aspect of the firm; there is a true sense of camaraderie among professionals at all levels which is reflected in a very positive working environment.